Preparing New York's Information Technology Infrastructure for Health Reform: A Gap Analysis by Social Interest Solutions

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a game changer both in terms of the culture of enrollment in public and subsidized health insurance and in terms of the infrastructure needed to support the enrollment process. Information Technology (IT) readiness will play a critical role in establishing a streamlined and integrated “no wrong door” process for accessing both public and private benefits under ACA. NYSHealth, in partnership with New York State stakeholders, initiated a project to help New York State hone the New York vision for implementing health care reform in the most prudent and efficient way. Two national organizations, Social Interest Solutions (SIS) and The Lewin Group, were selected to do the following: • Interview a wide range of stakeholders to gather insights and input • Provide a detailed understanding of federal reform requirements and identify areas needing further federal clarification • Catalog relevant New York systems for public and private programs • Review relevant New York systems to determine functionality and potential for use in the Exchange • Create a technology gap analysis to inform future decisions